Liverpool have a 17-year-old who is outscoring Mo Salah after netting 22nd goal of the season

Liverpool under-21s returned to action after the winter break with a 4-2 loss at Brighton and Hove Albion last weekend.

The Reds were in control at half-time of the south-coast clash through goals from Jayden Danns and Lewis Koumas but conceded three times after the break. Bobby Clark, James McConnell and Trey Nyoni - who were all on the bench for the 2-1 Carabao Cup semi-final first-leg victory over Fulham last week - all started.

The defeat leaves Liverpool eighth in Premier League 2. Under-21s head coach Lewtas told the club's website: "It was a game of two halves. As good as we were in the first half, I was equally as disappointed with us in the second half.

"First half, I felt we could have been out of sight with the chances we missed and how we played. And second half, in fairness to them, they [Brighton] certainly stepped it up a bit but we couldn't just sustain the levels.

"A clichéd game of two halves and sadly we're on the wrong end of it."

Danns continued his prolific 2023-24 season. The 17-year-old has been in red-hot form at under-18s level and has now made his mark playing in the higher age group on his Premier League 2 debut.

Danns has hit nine goals in as many games in the Under-18 Premier League while he bagged a double in a 2-1 FA Youth Cup third-round triumph over Fleetwood. There have also been efforts in Under-18 Premier League Cup games against Fulham, Newcastle and Crystal Palace along with friendly matches against Rangers, Ajax and Reading.

Koumas, meanwhile, has bagged five goals and recorded three assists in 10 games. The 18-year-old - who is the son of former West Brom and Wigan midfielder Jason - was part of Jurgen Klopp's squad during pre-season trips to Germany and Singapore.